It was only four days after 9/11. Cameron Clapp, who was then 15 years old, had passed out on railroad tracks near his home in Arroyo Grande, Calif., after drinking during a ceremony for victims of the attack. He was hit by a freight train and his life changed forever. Cameron became a triple amputee—he lost one arm and both legs above the knee.

Triple Amputee Still an Athlete
Prior to his accident, Cameron was an athlete. Following that fateful day in his life, he was determined to continue to get back into the game. He now runs marathons, surfs, kayaks, plays golf, and swims. And he does each very well.

Only five months after his accident, Cameron got up from his wheelchair and began to walk with the use of triple amputee prosthetics. For walking, he wears C-legs (computerized legs); for running he wears customized prosthetic limbs; for surfing, short prosthetic legs; for swimming, he puts prosthetic feet onto his sockets, with flippers; and for kayaking, he wears a special attachment to his prosthetic arm that clamps to the oar.

Endeavor Games, Just One Break
Cameron, now 24 years old, participated in the Endeavor Games for athletes with physical disabilities from 2002 to 2005. He has earned gold and silver medals in the 100 meter sprint in only 18 seconds. He was presented a “Shining Star” award in 2005 for his athletic achievements by the organization Just One Break, which is dedicated to supporting and increasing the employment of people with disabilities. Cameron was in good company winning that award—Christopher Reeve was a prior recipient.

Triple Amputee Finds Acting Jobs
Cameron is also an actor. In 2005, he appeared in the TV show “My Name is Earl.” He played the triple amputee character Jake, who was the boyfriend of single leg amputee Didi. He also appeared in the movie “Stop-Loss” and HBO’s “Carnivale.” He was the subject of a documentary on Discovery Channel’s “Medical Incredible,” and on the Early Show's series, “My New Life,” about people whose lives have dramatically changed.

Motivational Speaking
Cameron travels around the country as a motivational speaker.

“I could let this adversity keep me down, or I could take this adversity and make it into an opportunity and do something with it,” he told students at Syracuse University in a 2009 speaking engagement.

And that he did. On his website he writes about being a triple amputee:

“I wish to share my unique experiences with others, to hopefully inspire them to pursue and achieve their own goals, regardless of the challenges they may face. My journey has been quite a challenge, yet remarkable. I found myself determined to make the most of my life despite the obvious challenges.”

Photo courtesy of "WindyCitizen.com"